War Heroes Collective expects Cabinet nod for lifetime salary

All Island Deceased and Disabled War Heroes Collective yesterday said that they have confidence in receiving the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to pay monthly salary to the deceased and disabled War Heroes during their lifetime at the next meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers scheduled to be held on Tuesday (17).

Addressing a media conference held yesterday at the Government Information Department, Convener of the All Island Deceased and Disabled War Heroes Collective Aruna Weligamage expressed his gratitude to President Maithripala Sirisena for resolving long-standing demands of disabled war heroes and the widows of deceased war heroes.

“During a meeting held with the President, we made eight demands and he has already taken measures to resolve seven out of the eight requests. Lifetime monthly salary was the first demand made by the association and a cabinet subcommittee was appointed to look into the matter. But the process has been delayed due to the inefficiency of some officials,” said the Convener.

Addressing the 71st Independence Day celebrations, President Maithripala Sirisena announced that the Defence Ministry decided to pay the salaries and allowances to the families of the members of Security Forces, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Civil Defence Force, who died during the war and to those who were disabled, during their lifetime.

All Island Deceased and Disabled War Heroes Collective launched a protest on September 9 demanding an urgent response from the government to solve this salary issue and it had been called off after receiving a positive response from the government.

But, another group of disabled War Heroes still engage in a protest demanding the same. Responding to a question raised by a journalist asking the reason for this, the convener said that their association is a non-political association and the other group is attempting to fulfil their narrow political purposes by using this matter.